Fatal Hit-and-Run in Gwinnett County

According to reports, Gwinnett Police Officers were informed close to midnight on Saturday night that a man was seen lying on Beaver Ruin Road in unincorporated Norcross. After arriving at the scene, officers found Kevin Brown, 38. Brown was unresponsive at the scene and died after he was taken to a nearby hospital.

Right now, it is unknown who is responsible for Brown's death. Gwinnett Police spokesman Corporal Wilbert Rundles revealed that evidence indicated that the vehicle that struck Brown was a 2013-2015 Nissan Sentra. The police are urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477. Though the color of the car is unknown, Rundles explained that “The vehicle will have a missing front grill and most likely will have damage in the area of the front bumper, hood, and windshield.”

Hit-and-Run in Gwinnett County

In Georgia, a hit-and-run means that a driver hit another occupied car and drove away. Striking a fixed object, leaving the scene of an accident, and failing to report an accident are all similar crimes. As a Gwinnett County DUI Lawyer, I know that those charged with hit-and-run can potentially face harsher penalties than those associated with DUI. Indeed, if someone without priors is convicted of a DUI, they may still be eligible to receive a permit to drive to and from school or work. However, even if a driver has a clean record when they are convicted of a hit-and-run, they often will not have the opportunity to obtain a limited permit.

A conviction of hit-and-run will lead to a four-month minimum license suspension. Though there are few circumstances where a driver may qualify for a restricted license, if the driver is convicted of a hit-and-run and a DUI, are concurrently convicted of a crime that maintains its own requirements for license suspension or has prior offenses, the driver is at risk of “hard suspension” of their license. The term “hard suspension” means that the driver won't qualify for any type of license or permit.

While many people feel hopeless after they receive a hit-and-run charge, there are strategic ways an attorney can achieve promising results. At the Law Office of Richard S. Lawson, our lawyers have been successful in having a hit-and-run charge reduced to a lesser offense. Our lawyers have even had the state drop a hit-and-run charge completely pursuant to plea negotiations. This careful lawyering can be the difference in having a license and having your license suspended.

Practice Note
As a Gwinnett County DUI Attorney, I know that a charge of hit-and-run is an extremely serious offense – even more serious than a charge of DUI in Gwinnett County. If you have been charged with hit-and-run in Gwinnett, you need to start building your defense today. Contact our office now for immediate assistance – we are available to help 24/7.